Friday, 11 September 2015

"In the closing weeks of Summer, 1873, the 17th Reserve Fleet of the Federated States of America finished their sixth tour of duty across the Atlantic and were invited to Liverpool Docks for refit and repair. An unusually generous offer from their allies the Kingdom of Britannia, but a welcome one that would aid their defence of the convoys in the northern Atlantic during their return home. Lead by the immense Dreadnought Dortmunder - still bearing the scars from the Blockade of Greenland the previous summer, the fleet began their approach into Britannian waters on the 7th September.

New orders reached them before they could turn south toward their destination - the Markgraf had been sighted near the Faroe Islands, and as the largest warship in the vicinity, the Dortmunder was to engage and claim the ship for the Federated States of America. Where other ships had failed, it was hoped another Dreadnought would be a match for the beast.

This would be a monumental victory for the Federated States - the destruction of an enemy Dreadnought, the end of a known threat to Grand Coalition shipping, and a show of superiority for their "allies" the Russian Coalition. To claim the Markgraf as Prize where the Russians had failed was an irresistible lure for the Federal Naval Command.

Moving at full speed, the American fleet found the Prussians had not attempted to alter course - they almost appeared to be waiting for them, ready to engage in the open ocean...